Copyright Variety
India’s WAVES Film Bazaar has joined forces with ProducerLAND to present this year’s NFDC (National Film Development Corporation) Producers’ Lab, a professional development initiative aimed at supporting mid-career producers throughout India. The program is designed to strengthen producing foundations and build clarity of practice among participants. It will run from Nov. 20-24 as a closed-door event for 12 selected producers. The partnership follows ProducerLAND’s recently concluded Transmedia Lab, which concentrated on long-form, worldbuilding-based intellectual property design and cross-platform storytelling. That initiative took a creator-focused and audience-facing approach, reconsidering impact not only in terms of reach but in how narratives sustain meaning and community across platforms. Storiculture, ProducerLAND’s parent company, aims for the pilot program to establish architecture for storytelling phenomena from the Global South, rather than simply franchises. The NFDC Producers’ Lab features two tracks: a Career Track supporting producers shaping their professional trajectory, and a Project Track for producers developing specific film projects. Fellows from the Transmedia Lab will attend the bazaar, creating opportunities for curated networking and collaboration. These initiatives represent a growing emphasis within India’s film and media ecosystem on developing producers capable of navigating contemporary creative, financial and technological environments. Storiculture continues to lead strategic IP development in India, working on high-end properties that address ecology, gender, identity, technology, society and culture, while also supporting ecosystem-building and emerging voices. Among Storiculture’s programs is “Monsters of My Mind,” a transmedia storytelling universe engaging with mental health in young adults. The initiative visualizes internal experiences such as grief, anxiety, identity and resilience as “monsters” within a shared narrative world. It currently runs a six-month Comic Book Lab where 10 young creators develop an anthology of diverse narratives with dedicated mentorship, development and distribution support. Over the next three years, the universe will expand into a broader ecosystem across digital, print and community-based experiences. “ProducerLAND has always kept producers at center stage, bringing new perspectives to an industry in transition,” said Celine Loop of ProducerLAND. “As technology reshapes our roles, we’re choosing to be catalysts and embrace what’s ahead. Our partnership with WAVES Film Bazaar brings these vital conversations to the forefront.”
